ESP32Berry Houses Physical Keyboard
This prototype device mounts a physical keyboard to ESP32 module for communication or note taking.
Remember back in the good ‘ol days when phones had physical keyboards, and touchscreens were more of a secondary feature, if even available? Whether this was actually a good thing or not is the subject of much debate, but if you’re constantly frustrated with autocorrect, you might find the ESP32Berry hardware from Eric (AKA “That Project”) quite interesting.
As noted here, and explained in more detail in the video below, the ESP32Berry is a prototype PCB device that mounts a 3.5" ILI9488 resistive touch panel, along with a QWERTY keyboard beneath it. In this configuration, the QWERTY keyboard would be used as the primary input for note taking, messaging, and more. The resistive touchscreen could then be used with a stylus for menu selection and the like.
While the button switches are attached as surface-mount components, through-holes are provided for a number of modules that run the device. Mountable devices include a Lolin32 Lite ESP32 dev board for processing, a MAX98357 amplifier for audio output, and an UWB (ultra-wiideband) module pinout for communication. I2C connections are also broken out, which would allow for a wide range of other possibilities.
Eric may also mount an 18650 battery holder for outdoor use, which would be integrated into a future housing design. Although currently a prototype, it will be interesting to see how this project evolves. Perhaps it will turn into a useful handheld appliance for those that require a clicky input method and/or communication sans cellular connection.